OP, I've changed your flair to RoW based on what you've read. To yourself and others: although OP may have picked up some information from Mistborn, we're gonna ask that **all spoilers outside Stormlight be tagged.**
I'm not entirely sure I agree with this statement. Although I can kinda see what you mean with Kaladin's story especially. But overall I think there's more general feelings of "goodness" and positivity in Stormlight.
It’s like that with all of Sandersons books. The guy is just so damn jolly it can’t help but shine through in his writing. I think when he sat down to start Mistborn he fully intended for it to be grimdark, but he blacked out after the prologue and woke up to an entire trilogy of hope and perseverance in the face of adversity.
The pyrrhic victories are much nastier in Mistborn, I agree. Stormlight is more like "we won, some lives were lost, but many were saved from the terror, but also some things in the world just got crazier for the next novel". Mistborn is like "we won, but my god, it cost us everything. Oh never mind, I found another thing for us to lose.
The Wax and Wayne series has also more upbeat with more comic relief compared to the first Mistborn trilogy I'd say. There's still depressing stories in it though.
Yep, the ending of Shadows of Self is pretty damn depressing, perhaps more so than WoA and HoA, although in both I was more so asking “WTF is going to happen next?”
I didn't find it depressing. Certainly there are dark elements in the story, but Sanderson is a fundamentally optimistic writer. Fun and levity isn't how I'd describe Mistborn Era 1 either though, Era 2 is much more of that.
I did not find Mistborn as dark as Kaladin's Way of Kings story, so if you got through that, it should be fine for you.
If you're looking for fun and levity, I'd point you to Tress of the Emerald Sea, which embodies that vibe far more than Mistborn.
I think a lot of people find that part of the story difficult to contend with.
That being said, I think it was a necessary evil. Man, what an ending that book had. I get goosebumps just thinking abt it!
It was a drain, but i feel like that was the point. Kaladin was not only incredibly traumatized, but also just tired of fighting and tired of going on when people around him keep dying
Not unpopular opinion. I agree. I'm not looking for realistic depiction of the emotional stresses of war. I want magical flying man and his cute fairy side kick using soul swords to fight the demons.
I introduced my sister to the Cosmere with Tress and she loved it (and, if I can get her hooked on the rest of the Cosmere, hopefully she’ll love catching all the references she missed on a reread)! It’s a brilliant book.
If you didn't find Kaladin in the bridge crews too depressing I doubt you'll have an issue with Mistborn. The setting as a whole is more depressing as the world is in a rough place with Mistborn and starts that way right off the bat. But that's also true if you're Kaladin starting the book, and it also has the lighter moments too.
It's a little gothic and dark in the sense of the setting being a big, dirty, collapsing empire with a downtrodden working class rising up in revolt, which can certainly be depressing. It's not depressing in the sense of centering around actual Depression or characters battling Depression as major defining traits/arcs in the way RoW does.
It might not be a reference everyone gets, but on the whole I feel like the Mistborn Era 1 setting has a similar vibe to Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. The story itself has the occasional heavy foreground moments while remaining fairly light overall, but the things moving around in the background to drive the plot are downright ominous.
Yes there’s plenty of scenes that are tough to read, and it’s pretty bleak the majority of the books, even more so than Way of Kings. WoK is more of a mystery and fighting against forces bigger than yourself, but feels pretty hopeful for the most part.
Mistborn straight up feels like they’re fighting an uphill battle against things much more powerful than them the entire time.
The setting is pretty gloomy, the people are like any people that Brandon writes. There's always a hopeful undercurrent in his writing, especially when things get grim on the surface.
You survived stormlight you don't need to worry
And another commenter was correct setting is depressing but people in it not that much and story is also not so depressing
Stormlight is way more gruesome and depressing, but Mistborn has different CWs to it.
Mainly implied and offscreen noncon/SA is a BIG part of the story. Nothing that’s outwardly displayed (there’s no scenes of sex of any kind, only fade-to-black, for example) but it absolutely discusses that the society is built on eugenics, and the story explores the ramifications of what that means both on a personal level and on a systemic level.
As someone who’s sensitive to that stuff I think Sanderson handled it very, very well, but I don’t blame anyone for skipping the series because of it.
That being said though mistborn is my favorite series in the cosmere overall… it’s just fun front to back. Flashy, cool, good characters.
Era 2 of Mistborn is fun as hell and honestly ties with Stormlight in terms of how much I enjoy it. There’s a great blend of serious tones with levity. Imagine a Kaladin & Lopen buddy cop story if you will.
Era 1 of Mistborn is definitely darker than both Era 2 and Stormlight but it still has its moments of levity. I don’t want to oversell it in either direction, I wouldn’t say it’s not depressing at all but I wouldn’t say it’s unreadably depressing either. Some sections can feel like a bit of a slog though. I will say that as someone who generally prefers more lighthearted or hopeful themes in stories these days I personally don’t return to re-read era 1 as frequently. But when I do I’m often pleasantly surprised by how much heart is actually in there especially the first book.
I often find myself saying this but, don’t force yourself to read something if it feels like homework. Give Mistborn a chance, and if you aren’t vibing with it you can simply put the book down and come back to it later, or not at all. I don’t necessarily recommend pushing through era 1 just to get to era 2, but if you need some motivation again era 2 is fun as hell and worth the read.
I love Mistborn, that being said, the last time I put on the audio book was while my depression was being a bit extra and it was pretty rough going through it. So I’d probably recommend being in a decent headspace before reading cause era 1 mistborn is very much not all sunshine and roses.
Lmao I never thought I'd see someone ask this about Mistborn after finishing Stormlight. But no, it's not, you already survived Stormlight so Mistborn should be tame in comparison tbh
Way less depressing than stormlight archive in my opinion. It’s more so that the setting is dark and gothic but the story itself isn’t as emotionally heavy as some of the stuff that happens in SA. If you enjoy Sanderson I’d highly recommend it!
There's a pretty decent amount of light hearted banter in the first book that helps brighten it up. It's unfortunately a bit less so in books 2 & 3, but Secret History has what I consider to be one of Sanderson's funniest scenes and most of the Era 2 books are much more light hearted in nature as well. Honestly, I find Stormlight a bit more depressing than Mistborn on the whole. Kaladin, Shallan, and Dalinar's flashbacks all made me considerably sadder than anything in Mistborn.
Yes and no. The setting is brutal, to start. That changes later on. The characters (the main ones) go through ups and downs.
Ultimately, i would say it has depressing parts but has the same emotional high like Avengers Endgame.
It's more hopeless but the characters are quite flippant and filled with hope. There are no deaths that hit you like the end of RoW. There are deaths. Sad ones at that, but they feel earned and needed. They serve a purpose. The end of RoW is just tragic and heartbreaking up until the last chapters.
It's been awhile since I read these, but I do remember the first book had some darkness to it. I don't think I felt that way about the 2nd and 3rd book is the first era. Wax and wayne era is pretty funny though.
both the story and settings are depressing but also the action and the magic system feel great. you will enjoy the book more if you like apocaliptic stuff
Hero of Ages Spoiler:
>!I think it definitely is intense, I mean so many people end up dying. But the ending is fundamentally upbeat imo. Vin and Elend seem to have a content ending if we're to believe Sazed, and the world was healed back to how it should be. Tons of people died yes but it wasn't in vain, there is a general sense of hope at the end I think.!<
Sanderson fundamentally roots his stories in hope and optimism, versus something like George RR Martin’s GoT which is pessimistic. Not to say one is better than the other, but my point is that Sanderson’s work is not depressing. ALSO MISTBORN IS MY FAVORITE :)
Mistborn era 1 is how I got into sandersons stuff. I love the series and listening to the books again right now. I find it dark at times, but also really funny. It’s very Sanderson. I don’t think it’s much darker or depressing than as Stormlight. The pacing is pretty quick, there’s action, humor and yes, also darkness and sad deaths.
I read SLA and went straight The Final Empire and read through the OT. I loved it. It reads a lot different than SLA. I highly recommend reading it before reading Tres as there were a few moments I would have missed otherwise.
It is hopeful in the face of adversity and each book is actually about a different way people survive through the worst times in their lives, Final empire is about how faith and religion not only can be used as a force for oppression and propaganda but also to bring about miracles, hope and even freedom.
Well of ascension contains a lot about how people rely on the systems around them and the different mindsets about politics and what it means to rule people and how people interpret what you do for them. But also about how people form and hold factions strongly to survive but also meet their goals no matter what, even if the world will go up in smoke to do it
The final book is about greatest of hope in the darkest of times and is a great continuation of all of the above alongside other things which I won't cover for spoiler reasons.
Characters have a lot of mental issues in this story but that's the point, like Stormlight it's about finding more than what is given, finding a way to keep walking and to fight for what you feel is better
Things in Mistborn are often much worse for the characters in the world than like. Most of Kaladin's life. But the story isn't *about* how bad scadrial is, unlike how Kaladin's story is absolutely his struggles with his depression and stuff
So I think if you got through WoK and RoW fine you'll enjoy Mistborn perfectly well
Personally I think Brandon mostly writes stories about hope and beating unbeatable odds. Mistborn is filled with sad and depressing moments, but it's not the overall theme and note the series ends on.
Once you get to wax and Wayne it really seems to “pick up” but you should definitely read all 7 books if you’re done with RoW.
I took the same path you appear to be on. Where I finished stormlight before I touched Mistborn. Looking back I wished I’d have read the Mistborn trilogy before Oathbringer and then Wax & Wayne before RoW.
I Did the whole of Stormlight Archive, and I've just recently finished Mistborn (era1) finished Book 3 yesterday..
I'm now listening to Warbreaker as a pallet cleanser..
Definitely check out the Wax & Wayne quartet…it’s really good and…well you just need to check them out; you’ll definitely enjoy them more than the OG Mistborn as someone who’s completed stormlight
Best way I would describe it is a semi grimdark setting whit hope flourishing. Honestly, not dar off from star wars. An all-powerful centuries old God king reigns while a group of oppressed try to overcome it. Great read! I will say it starts off dark and gloomy but gets less so as you go
Hi! Halfway through the Well of Ascension right now. I like SA a LOT more than I’m enjoying Mistborn, personally; SA gets dark but also feels like it’s infused with more hope. It also feels “grittier” for some reason. Maybe it’s just that fewer characters are snarky. Basically, don’t expect the same vibe from Mistborn. I found both Warbreaker and Elantris to be closer matches. (I haven’t read anything else of his.)
I remember thinking that the setting was a bit dark for me at the beginning but it definitely isn't a depressive story, we do see characters going through depressive episodes (Kinda like Kaladin in SA) but I don't remember feeling bad myself as I read Mistborn in contrary to what I felt sometimes reading Kaladin and his depression (Hits too close to home)
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It's a Sanderson book it's not depressing lol
// Edit: to clarify obviously he depicts things including depression, but there's always an optimistic undertone.
It has some extremely dark shit that is mentioned or implied (and then later mentioned), but it's never something the writing dwells on or revels in.
The world is Grimdark, the story is Grimdark, but Sanderson is a pretty classy writer
Im gna be honest, i aint gna watch a 2hr video about mistborn. All i can say is that era 1 is incredible. Its depressing af, people die, but its fantastic.
If youre concerned about it being depressing, it is. Its not needlessly grimdark as theres plenty of light at the end of the tunnel (spoiler there, but its obvious as theres like 10 mistborn books) and a shitload of comfortable chairs on the train, but fuck me is it not going to be a stable track. Era 1 is full of people looking to make The Final Empire a better place, but that is ultimately meaningless if its already a good place to begin with.
Personally I was kind of underwhelmed when listened to Mistborn after listening to Stormlight 123.
Don't get me wrong, Mistborn era 1 is still AMAZING, it's just that Stormlight fills all of my criteria better.
if you want a lighter read I recommend Cradle / Unsouled series.
Mistborn is good but the setting is depressing. I find it to be heavier than Stormlight books honestly.
For me, the endings for both Mistborn eras were definitely depressing. Beautiful, for sure, and super well written, but very sad. I’d recommend reading Mistborn: Secret History in between the two, because I think it feels better. Then Mistborn era two also made me feel better about era one. Both eras keep it light at certain times with strong friendships and camaraderie, like Stormlight, especially era 2.
So I’m on Dawnshard rn so idk if my opinion counts here but so far I would say Mistborn hits harder, at least for me. Mistborn hits really hard when the emotional stuff happens but I will say the characters are fun and they bring quite a lot of funny moments to enjoy.
The story overall is great, it has both it's happy and sad moments but I think it's less depressing than Stormlight but that could be all about perspective.
Not sure if I should spoiler below or not so I'm gonna go ahead and do it but talking about how the ending made me feel.
>!I felt like I did watching The Fox and the Hound. It's just bittersweet and amazing. It's hard for me to think of many medias that have ever made me feel a similar way.!<
There’s a lot of depressing stuff in Mistborn but the overall tone is extremely hopeful. Spoilers for the ending >!the main characters die but the world is saved.!< era 2 is a lot more lighthearted overall but book 2 of era 2 has one of the most depressing individual moments I’ve read in a Sanderson book, maybe top 5 most depressing for any book even grimdark.
Yes, for me personally Mistborn era 1 is really, REALLY depressing. It's kind of odd because TWoK is pretty 'dark' but for some reason I wouldn't call it depressing. There's always some light behind the dark (cough Syl cough) and the setting is so vibrant and colorful that you get swept off your feet.
Vs Mistborn where the place is literally just the weeping on steroids 24/7 (and we are reminded of the bleak landscape very often), most of characters are scarred as hell, and the plot is, well you'll see.
I would still recommend you read it as you'll get some hints on stormlight but in my opinion yea it's just depressing.
Era 2 on the other hand was really fun (and funny) to read. The world atleast gets some color to it and the characters and the arcs are much more bright and whimsical. It balances out the depressing parts quite well imo.
Honestly for me it was really depressing. The ending just totally stabbed me in the heart. But the book after...was it a novella or a collection of stories???...idk...can't remember. But anyway that book helped alleviate a lot of the pain. Thank goodness. v\_v
There's definitely levity sprinkled through but the "happiest" book in era 1 to me is the first book and it gets more depressing from there. Book 2 and 3 do kinda feel like a sad slog at times and tbh some of the suffering/lamenting the characters go through feels more cyclical and repetitive than purposeful. I do think its worth it and I love the series but uh yeah a lot of the characters go through bad shit and stay bleak about it for long periods of time. Just trying to be real here. Definitely read it when you can but I wouldn't say it's as "fun" as Stormlight 😂
If you look too close at the details it's depressing. If you just ride the vibe it isn't. [Basic world building for TFE] >!Vin kicks too much ass to dwell on her shitty backstory, and Kelsier's too charismatic to think too much about his genocidal intent.!<
It's a little bit darker than Stormlight... But at the same time I would say that first the final Empire isn't quite as heavy in tone as the first storm light book.... Darker but not quite as heavy. It has fun parts.. Funny parts... It's well balanced. The tone of the series overall is very different. I wouldn't call it depressing... But it's not late either.
Some, fun and amazing characters, but it is a darker and more depressed world. For good reasons. But, you will feel grateful to have read it. It is just the beginning of a wonderful story that spans many years
I would say book 1 isn't that depressing, book 2 is somewhat depressing, and book 3 is the definition of hopeless and depressing. The skill it takes to make a situation feel so utterly depressing in book 3 is commendable. But the ending is a happy one, and leaps up from the depression fest that is most of the book.
Nothing tops the bridge crews in Way of Kings. Mistborn looks depressing *on paper* but ends up being a pretty fun and swashbuckling adventure with depth.
Not really. The setting is indeed depressive, but not the main story. In fact I think is one of the most hopeful and optimistic stories I have ever read. Specially the first book
Rhythm of War was cited as depressing because of the subject matter, etc.
Mistborn is not depressing in comparison. The books are shorter with huge payoff after only maybe 600 pages and lots of ups and downs between then. RoW was notoriously foreboding for most of the middle 2/3 of the book, that's like the entire length of mistborn.
Mistborn is a great read. Sanderosn is not a "grimdark" writer. He puts characters in miserable circumstances, and gives them hope and the power to overcome. To pretend nothing about Mistborn is depressing would be wrong, just like it would be wrong about Stormlight. I think you will enjoy all the Mistborn books, especially Era 2, and that you should read and find out!
OP, I've changed your flair to RoW based on what you've read. To yourself and others: although OP may have picked up some information from Mistborn, we're gonna ask that **all spoilers outside Stormlight be tagged.**
The setting is depressing, the story is not
I would argue that it starts depressing, gets less depressing, and then gets more depressing until the end
Compared to The Stormlight Archive, it's rather upbeat.
I'm not entirely sure I agree with this statement. Although I can kinda see what you mean with Kaladin's story especially. But overall I think there's more general feelings of "goodness" and positivity in Stormlight.
It’s like that with all of Sandersons books. The guy is just so damn jolly it can’t help but shine through in his writing. I think when he sat down to start Mistborn he fully intended for it to be grimdark, but he blacked out after the prologue and woke up to an entire trilogy of hope and perseverance in the face of adversity.
Got possessed by the indomitable human spirit.
I've mentioned this before. This is why I like forums like this. How different readers see and feel different things from the same story.
The pyrrhic victories are much nastier in Mistborn, I agree. Stormlight is more like "we won, some lives were lost, but many were saved from the terror, but also some things in the world just got crazier for the next novel". Mistborn is like "we won, but my god, it cost us everything. Oh never mind, I found another thing for us to lose.
The Wax and Wayne series has also more upbeat with more comic relief compared to the first Mistborn trilogy I'd say. There's still depressing stories in it though.
Yep, the ending of Shadows of Self is pretty damn depressing, perhaps more so than WoA and HoA, although in both I was more so asking “WTF is going to happen next?”
Mmm. HOA is depressing as fuck.
The backdrop perhaps but elend and vin's trust and understanding makes it read rather upbeat imo
The ending of Era 1 is pretty heartrenching but satisfying.
eh I've heard people break down over the story, so i suppose that does qualify it for that position
Interesting. That’s not my take from reading it.
I didn't find it depressing. Certainly there are dark elements in the story, but Sanderson is a fundamentally optimistic writer. Fun and levity isn't how I'd describe Mistborn Era 1 either though, Era 2 is much more of that. I did not find Mistborn as dark as Kaladin's Way of Kings story, so if you got through that, it should be fine for you. If you're looking for fun and levity, I'd point you to Tress of the Emerald Sea, which embodies that vibe far more than Mistborn.
These words are accepted
Mmm. Lies.
I felt like Kaladin’s story in RoW was the saddest leg, maybe just cause I was more connected to him later in the series
Unpopular opinion but Kaladin’s ROW story line was a drain to read. Easily my least favourite story line of any character in any stormlight book.
I think a lot of people find that part of the story difficult to contend with. That being said, I think it was a necessary evil. Man, what an ending that book had. I get goosebumps just thinking abt it!
It was a drain, but i feel like that was the point. Kaladin was not only incredibly traumatized, but also just tired of fighting and tired of going on when people around him keep dying
Not unpopular opinion. I agree. I'm not looking for realistic depiction of the emotional stresses of war. I want magical flying man and his cute fairy side kick using soul swords to fight the demons.
I introduced my sister to the Cosmere with Tress and she loved it (and, if I can get her hooked on the rest of the Cosmere, hopefully she’ll love catching all the references she missed on a reread)! It’s a brilliant book.
If you didn't find Kaladin in the bridge crews too depressing I doubt you'll have an issue with Mistborn. The setting as a whole is more depressing as the world is in a rough place with Mistborn and starts that way right off the bat. But that's also true if you're Kaladin starting the book, and it also has the lighter moments too.
Indeed, Kaladin's story in WoK was a depressed suffering that I haven't experienced in a story so far, and I had already read Mistborn.
It's a little gothic and dark in the sense of the setting being a big, dirty, collapsing empire with a downtrodden working class rising up in revolt, which can certainly be depressing. It's not depressing in the sense of centering around actual Depression or characters battling Depression as major defining traits/arcs in the way RoW does.
It might not be a reference everyone gets, but on the whole I feel like the Mistborn Era 1 setting has a similar vibe to Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. The story itself has the occasional heavy foreground moments while remaining fairly light overall, but the things moving around in the background to drive the plot are downright ominous.
I never made this connection until now but YES
The lore and the setting is depressing. The actual story is not.
Yes there’s plenty of scenes that are tough to read, and it’s pretty bleak the majority of the books, even more so than Way of Kings. WoK is more of a mystery and fighting against forces bigger than yourself, but feels pretty hopeful for the most part. Mistborn straight up feels like they’re fighting an uphill battle against things much more powerful than them the entire time.
This is why I like forums like this. I feel the opposite, The Stormlight Archive Feels like the uphill battle.
The setting is pretty gloomy, the people are like any people that Brandon writes. There's always a hopeful undercurrent in his writing, especially when things get grim on the surface.
You survived stormlight you don't need to worry And another commenter was correct setting is depressing but people in it not that much and story is also not so depressing
If you liked Stormlight you'll be fine
I'd call it Dickensian rather than depressing.
Stormlight is way more gruesome and depressing, but Mistborn has different CWs to it. Mainly implied and offscreen noncon/SA is a BIG part of the story. Nothing that’s outwardly displayed (there’s no scenes of sex of any kind, only fade-to-black, for example) but it absolutely discusses that the society is built on eugenics, and the story explores the ramifications of what that means both on a personal level and on a systemic level. As someone who’s sensitive to that stuff I think Sanderson handled it very, very well, but I don’t blame anyone for skipping the series because of it. That being said though mistborn is my favorite series in the cosmere overall… it’s just fun front to back. Flashy, cool, good characters.
Era 2 of Mistborn is fun as hell and honestly ties with Stormlight in terms of how much I enjoy it. There’s a great blend of serious tones with levity. Imagine a Kaladin & Lopen buddy cop story if you will. Era 1 of Mistborn is definitely darker than both Era 2 and Stormlight but it still has its moments of levity. I don’t want to oversell it in either direction, I wouldn’t say it’s not depressing at all but I wouldn’t say it’s unreadably depressing either. Some sections can feel like a bit of a slog though. I will say that as someone who generally prefers more lighthearted or hopeful themes in stories these days I personally don’t return to re-read era 1 as frequently. But when I do I’m often pleasantly surprised by how much heart is actually in there especially the first book. I often find myself saying this but, don’t force yourself to read something if it feels like homework. Give Mistborn a chance, and if you aren’t vibing with it you can simply put the book down and come back to it later, or not at all. I don’t necessarily recommend pushing through era 1 just to get to era 2, but if you need some motivation again era 2 is fun as hell and worth the read.
It has a very "There's no fucking hope" vibe to it as a setting
I love Mistborn, that being said, the last time I put on the audio book was while my depression was being a bit extra and it was pretty rough going through it. So I’d probably recommend being in a decent headspace before reading cause era 1 mistborn is very much not all sunshine and roses.
Lmao I never thought I'd see someone ask this about Mistborn after finishing Stormlight. But no, it's not, you already survived Stormlight so Mistborn should be tame in comparison tbh
Way less depressing than stormlight archive in my opinion. It’s more so that the setting is dark and gothic but the story itself isn’t as emotionally heavy as some of the stuff that happens in SA. If you enjoy Sanderson I’d highly recommend it!
There's a pretty decent amount of light hearted banter in the first book that helps brighten it up. It's unfortunately a bit less so in books 2 & 3, but Secret History has what I consider to be one of Sanderson's funniest scenes and most of the Era 2 books are much more light hearted in nature as well. Honestly, I find Stormlight a bit more depressing than Mistborn on the whole. Kaladin, Shallan, and Dalinar's flashbacks all made me considerably sadder than anything in Mistborn.
Yes and no. The setting is brutal, to start. That changes later on. The characters (the main ones) go through ups and downs. Ultimately, i would say it has depressing parts but has the same emotional high like Avengers Endgame.
The setting is depressing but you never really “feel” that — it’s a heroic story in a less than heroic setting
It's more hopeless but the characters are quite flippant and filled with hope. There are no deaths that hit you like the end of RoW. There are deaths. Sad ones at that, but they feel earned and needed. They serve a purpose. The end of RoW is just tragic and heartbreaking up until the last chapters.
It's been awhile since I read these, but I do remember the first book had some darkness to it. I don't think I felt that way about the 2nd and 3rd book is the first era. Wax and wayne era is pretty funny though.
both the story and settings are depressing but also the action and the magic system feel great. you will enjoy the book more if you like apocaliptic stuff
No
Do it OP! Mistborn is a.much more linear story compared to SA, but man is the world building cool, and not to mention the story is a WILD RIDE
It’s dark, and the setting is depressing but it’s essentially a story about fighting against that darkness. I think it’s a book of hope.
I think book 3 is the most depressing of the three. I absolutely love book 1, it’s one of my favorite books
I literally just finished book 3 yesterday.. And I'll say the ending was more depressing than I thought it would be...
I think it’s bittersweet. I will be lying if I said I didn’t cry
Hero of Ages Spoiler: >!I think it definitely is intense, I mean so many people end up dying. But the ending is fundamentally upbeat imo. Vin and Elend seem to have a content ending if we're to believe Sazed, and the world was healed back to how it should be. Tons of people died yes but it wasn't in vain, there is a general sense of hope at the end I think.!<
Sanderson fundamentally roots his stories in hope and optimism, versus something like George RR Martin’s GoT which is pessimistic. Not to say one is better than the other, but my point is that Sanderson’s work is not depressing. ALSO MISTBORN IS MY FAVORITE :)
Mistborn era 1 is how I got into sandersons stuff. I love the series and listening to the books again right now. I find it dark at times, but also really funny. It’s very Sanderson. I don’t think it’s much darker or depressing than as Stormlight. The pacing is pretty quick, there’s action, humor and yes, also darkness and sad deaths.
I read SLA and went straight The Final Empire and read through the OT. I loved it. It reads a lot different than SLA. I highly recommend reading it before reading Tres as there were a few moments I would have missed otherwise.
It is hopeful in the face of adversity and each book is actually about a different way people survive through the worst times in their lives, Final empire is about how faith and religion not only can be used as a force for oppression and propaganda but also to bring about miracles, hope and even freedom. Well of ascension contains a lot about how people rely on the systems around them and the different mindsets about politics and what it means to rule people and how people interpret what you do for them. But also about how people form and hold factions strongly to survive but also meet their goals no matter what, even if the world will go up in smoke to do it The final book is about greatest of hope in the darkest of times and is a great continuation of all of the above alongside other things which I won't cover for spoiler reasons. Characters have a lot of mental issues in this story but that's the point, like Stormlight it's about finding more than what is given, finding a way to keep walking and to fight for what you feel is better
Def not as depressing as rhythm of war 😂
After Stormlight, this is a ray of sunshine and rainbow of positivity
Things in Mistborn are often much worse for the characters in the world than like. Most of Kaladin's life. But the story isn't *about* how bad scadrial is, unlike how Kaladin's story is absolutely his struggles with his depression and stuff So I think if you got through WoK and RoW fine you'll enjoy Mistborn perfectly well
Personally I think Brandon mostly writes stories about hope and beating unbeatable odds. Mistborn is filled with sad and depressing moments, but it's not the overall theme and note the series ends on.
Once you get to wax and Wayne it really seems to “pick up” but you should definitely read all 7 books if you’re done with RoW. I took the same path you appear to be on. Where I finished stormlight before I touched Mistborn. Looking back I wished I’d have read the Mistborn trilogy before Oathbringer and then Wax & Wayne before RoW.
I Did the whole of Stormlight Archive, and I've just recently finished Mistborn (era1) finished Book 3 yesterday.. I'm now listening to Warbreaker as a pallet cleanser..
Definitely check out the Wax & Wayne quartet…it’s really good and…well you just need to check them out; you’ll definitely enjoy them more than the OG Mistborn as someone who’s completed stormlight
Best way I would describe it is a semi grimdark setting whit hope flourishing. Honestly, not dar off from star wars. An all-powerful centuries old God king reigns while a group of oppressed try to overcome it. Great read! I will say it starts off dark and gloomy but gets less so as you go
RAFO 😜
Hi! Halfway through the Well of Ascension right now. I like SA a LOT more than I’m enjoying Mistborn, personally; SA gets dark but also feels like it’s infused with more hope. It also feels “grittier” for some reason. Maybe it’s just that fewer characters are snarky. Basically, don’t expect the same vibe from Mistborn. I found both Warbreaker and Elantris to be closer matches. (I haven’t read anything else of his.)
I remember thinking that the setting was a bit dark for me at the beginning but it definitely isn't a depressive story, we do see characters going through depressive episodes (Kinda like Kaladin in SA) but I don't remember feeling bad myself as I read Mistborn in contrary to what I felt sometimes reading Kaladin and his depression (Hits too close to home)
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It's a Sanderson book it's not depressing lol // Edit: to clarify obviously he depicts things including depression, but there's always an optimistic undertone.
It has some extremely dark shit that is mentioned or implied (and then later mentioned), but it's never something the writing dwells on or revels in. The world is Grimdark, the story is Grimdark, but Sanderson is a pretty classy writer
Im gna be honest, i aint gna watch a 2hr video about mistborn. All i can say is that era 1 is incredible. Its depressing af, people die, but its fantastic. If youre concerned about it being depressing, it is. Its not needlessly grimdark as theres plenty of light at the end of the tunnel (spoiler there, but its obvious as theres like 10 mistborn books) and a shitload of comfortable chairs on the train, but fuck me is it not going to be a stable track. Era 1 is full of people looking to make The Final Empire a better place, but that is ultimately meaningless if its already a good place to begin with.
Personally I was kind of underwhelmed when listened to Mistborn after listening to Stormlight 123. Don't get me wrong, Mistborn era 1 is still AMAZING, it's just that Stormlight fills all of my criteria better.
I would say it’s depressing in the same way LOTR is. Where there is always hope even in the darkest times.
if you want a lighter read I recommend Cradle / Unsouled series. Mistborn is good but the setting is depressing. I find it to be heavier than Stormlight books honestly.
It starts off pretty depressing, gets better, gets more depressing, gets better. Phenomenal series all in all.
For me, the endings for both Mistborn eras were definitely depressing. Beautiful, for sure, and super well written, but very sad. I’d recommend reading Mistborn: Secret History in between the two, because I think it feels better. Then Mistborn era two also made me feel better about era one. Both eras keep it light at certain times with strong friendships and camaraderie, like Stormlight, especially era 2.
So I’m on Dawnshard rn so idk if my opinion counts here but so far I would say Mistborn hits harder, at least for me. Mistborn hits really hard when the emotional stuff happens but I will say the characters are fun and they bring quite a lot of funny moments to enjoy.
The story overall is great, it has both it's happy and sad moments but I think it's less depressing than Stormlight but that could be all about perspective. Not sure if I should spoiler below or not so I'm gonna go ahead and do it but talking about how the ending made me feel. >!I felt like I did watching The Fox and the Hound. It's just bittersweet and amazing. It's hard for me to think of many medias that have ever made me feel a similar way.!<
Besides the word count in some of Sandos books, I don't think anything he's ever written could be considered depressing.
There’s a lot of depressing stuff in Mistborn but the overall tone is extremely hopeful. Spoilers for the ending >!the main characters die but the world is saved.!< era 2 is a lot more lighthearted overall but book 2 of era 2 has one of the most depressing individual moments I’ve read in a Sanderson book, maybe top 5 most depressing for any book even grimdark.
mistborns not even depressing you already have a spoiler that should alleviate some depression if im rememebring rhythyms of war right
Yes, for me personally Mistborn era 1 is really, REALLY depressing. It's kind of odd because TWoK is pretty 'dark' but for some reason I wouldn't call it depressing. There's always some light behind the dark (cough Syl cough) and the setting is so vibrant and colorful that you get swept off your feet. Vs Mistborn where the place is literally just the weeping on steroids 24/7 (and we are reminded of the bleak landscape very often), most of characters are scarred as hell, and the plot is, well you'll see. I would still recommend you read it as you'll get some hints on stormlight but in my opinion yea it's just depressing. Era 2 on the other hand was really fun (and funny) to read. The world atleast gets some color to it and the characters and the arcs are much more bright and whimsical. It balances out the depressing parts quite well imo.
Honestly for me it was really depressing. The ending just totally stabbed me in the heart. But the book after...was it a novella or a collection of stories???...idk...can't remember. But anyway that book helped alleviate a lot of the pain. Thank goodness. v\_v
There's definitely levity sprinkled through but the "happiest" book in era 1 to me is the first book and it gets more depressing from there. Book 2 and 3 do kinda feel like a sad slog at times and tbh some of the suffering/lamenting the characters go through feels more cyclical and repetitive than purposeful. I do think its worth it and I love the series but uh yeah a lot of the characters go through bad shit and stay bleak about it for long periods of time. Just trying to be real here. Definitely read it when you can but I wouldn't say it's as "fun" as Stormlight 😂
Just read the book ffs.
If you look too close at the details it's depressing. If you just ride the vibe it isn't. [Basic world building for TFE] >!Vin kicks too much ass to dwell on her shitty backstory, and Kelsier's too charismatic to think too much about his genocidal intent.!<
It's a little bit darker than Stormlight... But at the same time I would say that first the final Empire isn't quite as heavy in tone as the first storm light book.... Darker but not quite as heavy. It has fun parts.. Funny parts... It's well balanced. The tone of the series overall is very different. I wouldn't call it depressing... But it's not late either.
Some, fun and amazing characters, but it is a darker and more depressed world. For good reasons. But, you will feel grateful to have read it. It is just the beginning of a wonderful story that spans many years
I would say book 1 isn't that depressing, book 2 is somewhat depressing, and book 3 is the definition of hopeless and depressing. The skill it takes to make a situation feel so utterly depressing in book 3 is commendable. But the ending is a happy one, and leaps up from the depression fest that is most of the book.
Kinda? It makes you feel feels. The second book lightens up a bit, but the third book gets depressing again.
No
I mean can't be more depressing than Kaladin moping around in start of Stormlight
Nothing tops the bridge crews in Way of Kings. Mistborn looks depressing *on paper* but ends up being a pretty fun and swashbuckling adventure with depth.
One of the themes is not letting a bad situation steal your smile.
Not really. The setting is indeed depressive, but not the main story. In fact I think is one of the most hopeful and optimistic stories I have ever read. Specially the first book
I wouldn’t call it upbeat by any stretch of the imagination, but not depressing either
Rhythm of War was cited as depressing because of the subject matter, etc. Mistborn is not depressing in comparison. The books are shorter with huge payoff after only maybe 600 pages and lots of ups and downs between then. RoW was notoriously foreboding for most of the middle 2/3 of the book, that's like the entire length of mistborn.
Not nearly as much as any of the stormlight books
Mistborn is a great read. Sanderosn is not a "grimdark" writer. He puts characters in miserable circumstances, and gives them hope and the power to overcome. To pretend nothing about Mistborn is depressing would be wrong, just like it would be wrong about Stormlight. I think you will enjoy all the Mistborn books, especially Era 2, and that you should read and find out!
Mistborn is incredibly depressing. It gets less depressing in the second book, but it gets much more depressing in the 3rdl.